When Emerald Fennell released her cartoonish take on Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, she explained its squishy, S&M silliness as being an adolescent fever dream. Yet, if teenage rebellion were the aim, that other Brontë novel of 1847 might have made a more likely candidate. I refer, of course, to sister Charlotte’s Jane Eyre: that manual for how a young woman might live – and love – independent of social norms.This is why news that the text has been made compulsory for Chinese 14 and 15-year-olds comes as something of a surprise. The Communist Party made clear that this is to steer “the innocent, budding stage of first love”. So Brontë’s classic is now a conformist dating manual.One wonders whether anyone in President Xi’s regime has read the novel. From the moment Jane fights back against her tyrannical male cousin, toeing the party line is emphatically not our heroine’s thing.Instead, Brontë’s tale is one of constant rebellion against the conventions of love, work, society – whatever worldly authority is imposed. Contemporary critics linked the narrative to the revolutions that swept Europe in 1848. Jane was not only a proto-feminist, but a red under the chaise longue. However, she would be just as likely to rebel against the Five-star Red Flag as she would the domestic autocrat.This, after all, is a heroine who proclaims: “Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! – I have as much soul as you – and full as much heart! … I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh: it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God’s feet, equal – as we are!”The man she addresses is rich and powerful; her employer has cross-dressed to flirt with her, while concealing his wife in the loft. It’s complicated, as contemporary parlance goes. Yet, what is never complicated – or compromised – is Jane’s autonomy.The first and foremost lesson our roving rebel gives us is to love – or rather respect – oneself. In her life’s great crisis, beset by the thought “Who in the world cares for you?”, comes the “indomitable” cry: “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself.” A woman who has been haunted by beggary chooses vagrancy rather than terms she cannot accept.Still, Jane determines that she will be loved body, brain and soul – or not at all. When offered the passionless union proposed by priggish St. John Rivers, she refuses to countenance such emotional deprivation. Rivers is what Love Island contestants refer to as “good on paper”, but intolerable in the sack.Instead, Jane’s devotions are to, first, another female (the doomed Helen Burns); second, a man who married for money, abandoned a vulnerable wife, shagged his way around Europe, attempted bigamy, and was rendered maimed and vulnerable.Behold, another love lesson: the right person, may be she/he that society deems wrong. Cathy baulks at Heathcliff. Jane embraces a castrated Byronic hero: mastering her master in a domesticity in which they can at last be equals.When Jane declares: “Reader, I married him,” it is a triumph of radical self-assertion. Chinese educationalists may believe they’re signing up for Victorian values. However, in Brontë’s moral bruiser, they’re getting a counter-cultural heroine who would have no truck with Marxist-Leninist axioms or Xi Jinping’s “Chinese Dream”.And how glorious this will prove: another generation of freedom fighters becoming Eyreheads.
Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is an unlikely heroine for a state seeking to teach young women a moderate face of feminism and the value of domesticity. Plain, financially constrained, lacking in social capital she might be, but Brontë’s heroine wasn’t short on self-awareness. She declares, “I can live alone, if self-respect, and circumstances require me so to do. I need not sell my soul to buy bliss.”It is probably this insistence on equality that has lent the novel such appeal in China since it was first introduced in translation in the early 1920s. Now, however, the Chinese state has made it mandatory reading for ninth-grade students, arguably for quite different reasons: Beijing is waging an uphill campaign against plummeting birth and marriage rates. A 19th-century romance, with its promise of true love and a value system oriented towards home and hearth, could work as useful propaganda. In this modernist state re-reading, Eyre is rebellious, but not irredeemably so; independent, but not averse to settling down; outspoken, but unmistakably feminine. She is proof that a woman can have a mind of her own without turning her back on the domestic.And yet, there are postscripts to this reading. Marriage at the end of Jane Eyre is undergirded by clarity. Eyre walks away from it when staying would have meant becoming lesser, unequal. Only later, with an inheritance of her own and the independence it guarantees, does she return to Rochester. Love becomes, in Brontë’s telling, a choice, not a surrender. Perhaps that is the lesson young readers will take away from it.
Where “Wuthering Heights” left me angry, this Netflix Original has restored my faith in adapting classic literature. (Kate Sánchez)
How could any contemporary adaptation of East of Eden not linger on Cathy? After decades of perspective-shifting literary retellings like Wide Sargasso Sea and The Mists of Avalon and the current trend of feminist Greek myths, Cathy is an enigma begging for some traumatic backstory to staple her flaws together. (Kathryn VanArendonk)
Monthly, Saturdays, 5 September 2026 to 13 March 202718.00-20.00 British Time19.00-21.00 Central European TimeMorning or Lunchtime in the AmericasJoin us for a season of six lectures and seminars, live online, on the writings of three great English writers of the early nineteenth century: Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë. We study four of their powerful novels, plus the poetry of Emily Brontë and a selection of the extraordinary childhood writings of the sisters and their brother Branwell. You can book as many individual lectures as you like, or you can book the whole season at a discount. This offer closes on 4 September 2026, before the Season starts.Lectures• Saturday 5 Sept. 2026. Kate Eliot, Juvenilia of the Brontës• Saturday 3 Oct. 2026. Trudi Tate, Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights (1847). SOLD OUT.• Saturday 7 Nov. 2026. Greta Colombani, The Poetry of Emily Brontë• Saturday 9 January 2027. Clare Walker Gore, Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre (1847)• Saturday 13 February 2027. Corinna Russell, Charlotte Brontë, Villette (1853)• Saturday 13 March 2027. Alison Hennegan, Anne Brontë, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848)
Anne-marie Greene’s direction gives Sarah Gordon’s 2024 already feisty modern-day revision of the Brontë myth a quick-witted flair. Much of this is due to the clever, knowing portrayal of Charlotte by Alice Scott. She is a pink-haired, elfin dominatrix of the family. Her determination to place herself at the top of the literary tree is expressed by frequent asides through the fourth wall, which draws us onto her side while at the same time slightly repelling us at the unfairness of her treatment of her sisters, Anne in particular. We forgive her, up to a point, partly because of her sparky charm and her knowing comments about the (still) patriarchal publishing game, but also because we buy into her idea that without her there would have been no Brontës. Even Emily, passionately, often angrily played by Nicole Cortese, is sidelined by her.And what of poor Anne? Anne, the nice one, Anne the modest, self-effacing one who suspends her literary ambitions to become a governess, one of the lowest rungs of the Victorian social ladder, where she is bullied and humiliated by her employers and their nasty children. Somehow, she turns this unhappy experience into a scathing condemnation of abuse within marriage which was revolutionary in her day, and hits the jackpot with her book sales.But in order to succeed the sisters had to pretend to be men, otherwise they would have been dismissed as mere ‘women writers.’ But this brings a conundrum. By pretending to be men they are, in a sense, beating the men at their own game and are somewhat protected by the mask, provided their true identities remain secret. Once they are revealed they are subject to the very condemnation they challenged in spite of, and because of, their success.Sarah Gordon’s play doesn't delve too deeply into the books themselves; rather it is the Brontë myth that is explored and its status as a repudiation of patriarchy. Even Branwell Brontë (Connor Bailey), their wayward, drunken brother, who aspired to be a painter though he lacked the talent, is somehow portrayed as a victim of this London-based snobbery. Ironically by working together to create the image of the Bell brothers, partly in order to protect him from full knowledge of himself, the sisters cannot help but buy into that snobbery.Charlotte tries to rip the façade off the dominant ideology of the time by making herself into a literary superstar and using her fame to overturn the orthodoxy. It is self-conscious promotion with its roots in the past and its flower very much in the present. The cast, including an excellent ensemble, have great fun with it, playing with a punk / Gen Z theme. The performances are top-notch throughout, the three sisters well balanced in their characters, Charlotte as the apex of a triangle that could only function as a collective. (Nick Le Mesurier)
“I've always loved the book. I love English literature. I first read Jane Eyre at high school when I was 11 or 12 or 13 and I just loved it. I'm very much an Austen and Bronte girl. I read all of them but I always remember Jane Eyre struck me as such a fantastic heroine.“I think she has such a strong will. She is so passionate and so determined to keep to her values and her morality and her desire to do what is right. I think that fascinated me as a child. You often see in people their kindness or their bravery and she's kind and brave but I think the main thing for Jane is doing what is right. She is willing sometimes to make people a little bit upset but it comes from a place not of weakness; it comes from a place of wanting to do the right thing. I love her strength and I think it is that core that really attracted me to Jane as a person. And I'm really interested to see what resonates with me now. I read it as a young person, and to come back to it again now it's interesting to rediscover it and to see what really resonates now.” (Phil Hewitt)
This time of year, you may come to crave dark, spooky stories, and “The Last Brontë” fits those needs perfectly with its Gothic deliciousness. Think: Daphne du Maurier-type, stormy-night squirms with a dangerously chaste, sweetly romantic girl-meets-girl twist for fun.If it’s been awhile since you’ve read a Gothic novel, you’re in for a nice reminder of why you love them here. You can almost tick off the must-haves: a novel like this is nothing without a foreboding stone manor with damp walls; stone steps to a dank basement; a mysterious portrait; and a nearby bog, and author Catherine Friend gives readers every one of them. You’d be disappointed if there was no ghost, wouldn’t you? Ha. You can practically feel the cold blow through the attic, right? Yeah, it’s that kind of book.If you’re a fan of the Brontës, you’ll like this novel. If you love Gothic mysteries or Victorian romances, ditto. “The Lost Brontë” is good, no lie. (Terri Schlichenmeyer)
Nowadays, there are plenty of adaptations that blatantly acknowledge the literary classic that it is based on. In just February of this year, a movie adaptation of Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights” hit theatres. [...]The question becomes, are these adaptations a sign of a lack of creativity or is Hollywood’s ability to take literary classics unknown or disliked by the younger generations a show of creativity and innovative thinking? I’m not quite sure.UTC junior Lexie Jones, a history and anthropology double major, gave her perspective on the question: “I don’t think it's a lack of creativity. Like ‘Wuthering Heights.’ I haven’t watched the new movie but it was a way to draw in people who probably would have never read the book.”The movie adaptations may become a way to draw interest from our generation. The prospect of reading the classics, to most, might seem boring and a waste of time, especially if it has nothing to do with your major. The most popular book genres right now are romance or ‘romantasy,’ a term coined by TikTok. Fantasy, thrillers, science fiction and horror are the runner-ups. Classic fiction wasn’t really high on the list.“Wuthering Heights” was advertised with phrases such as “drive me mad,” “come undone,” and "inspired by the greatest love story of all time.” The movie starred well-known actors Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, and was released on Valentine’s Day. The marketing was directed towards the generation that made romance the most popular book genre.The movie only covered about half of the original novel, though. Watchers who were enamored by the love story on the screen can continue the story by returning to the novel. Adults who may have never considered opening the novel might just read it now, or at least stop and purchase it at the book store. (Haley Goodfriend)
Heathcliff Was Described as Dark-SkinnedEmily Brontë repeatedly gives Heathcliff a dark complexion and describes him as “a dark-skinned gipsy in aspect.” Laurence Olivier’s 1939 Wuthering Heights became one of the character’s most famous screen versions despite looking very different. (Fernanda Arnaud)
Hace poco inicié la relectura de la novela de Emily Brontë, Cumbres borrascosas, porque tenía una deuda con el libro. La primera vez que lo leí fue hace veinticinco años y siento que no fue la mejor lectura, pues mi habilidad como lector aún no se había desarrollado para obras como esta. El refrán «cada libro tiene su tiempo» es, por lo menos en mi caso, cierto.Otro detonante que anticipó mi relectura fue la insípida, anodina, insulsa, adormecida, formulaica y pobrísima versión cinematográfica de Emerald Fennell sobre Cumbres borrascosas. El desarrollo psicológico de sus personajes y la atmósfera de la película se asemejan al ámbito de Cincuenta sombras de Grey: buscan desfogar un deseo carnal sin ningún tipo de composición narrativa que sustente la pasión entre los protagonistas. Quería quitarme ese amargo sabor.El problema no es que Emerald Fennell haya cambiado la historia; desde el título entrecomillado se puede deducir que la película busca alejarse por completo de la obra literaria: omitió a Lockwood, quien se convierte en el repositorio de la historia, e ignoró la facultad narrativa de Nelly Dean. Estas licencias que se tomó Fennell no aportan valor a la cinta, sino que reflejan el afán de contar una historia distinta que no logra trascender y se queda en un vacuo entretenimiento de Hollywood.El problema no es que Emerald Fennell haya cambiado la historia; desde el título entrecomillado se deduce que la película busca distanciarse de la obra literaria: omitió a Lockwood —el marco receptor de la historia— y despojó a Nelly Dean de su compleja ambigüedad como narradora no fiable, reduciéndola a un mero detonante de hechos trágicos. Además, en el filme es el Sr. Earnshaw quien termina ebrio e hipotecando sus propiedades hasta perderlas a manos de Heathcliff; sin embargo, en la novela original esta ruina personal y financiera recae enteramente en su hijo Hindley Earnshaw. Estas licencias no aportan valor a la cinta, sino que reflejan el afán de contar una historia efectista que se queda en un vacuo entretenimiento de Hollywood.Al comprender las circunstancias de Heathcliff, deducimos que su comportamiento (cuestionable desde la moral) es el resultado de un contexto hostil: es un huérfano pauperizado y maltratado tanto por su padre como por su hermano adoptivos. Como bien señaló Karl Marx: «No es la conciencia del hombre la que determina su ser, sino, por el contrario, el ser social es el que determina su conciencia». Sin embargo, bajo la mirada moralizante y burguesa de la narradora Nelly, la personalidad de Heathcliff no es responsabilidad de una estructura social, sino estrictamente del individuo. De manera similar, la contemporaneidad —bajo el espejismo de que «el pobre es pobre porque quiere»— traslada la responsabilidad de un sistema de privilegios e imperfecto, hacia las clases bajas, culpándolas de su propia condición y favoreciendo el desarrollo de trastornos como la depresión y la ansiedad, así como fenómenos psicosociales de indefensión aprendida y vergüenza social interiorizada. ¿Podría considerarse a Heathcliff, entonces, como una advertencia de las pasiones y grietas que genera una estructura ciega a la salud mental del otro? (Juan Sebastián Sánchez) (Translation)
HarmoNNY Performing Arts Community presentsWild Imaginations - Tea with the Brontës and Friends
by Susan Taghe Smith
The Strand, 136 Franklin St, Watertown, NY 13601, USA
HarmoNNY Performing Arts Community and local writer, Susan Tague Smith, presents “Wild Imaginations: Tea with the Brontës and Friends” on October 3, 4-6 PM at The Strand located at 136 Franklin Street, Watertown, NY 13601.
This event will feature the Brontë sisters, Emily, Charlotte, and Anne, Emily Dickinson, and Jane Austen meeting for tea and sharing their thoughts and writings.
“Wild Imaginations: Tea with the Brontës and Friends” will be a HarmoNNY Performing Arts Community event supporting The Strand, Watertown’s premiere performance venue. Bring your own teacup to this event. Show off that heirloom from the china cabinet.
Only 60 tickets will be available at $35 each and will include this performance, along with service of an afternoon tea consisting of a selection of teas, sweet and savory treats.Wines and specialty drinks will be available for purchase at The Strand Concession area.
Now in its 16th year, the festival ran from September 25 to 29 in Haworth and featured a packed programme of events at the Brontë Parsonage Museum and online, highlighting women’s voices across fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and scriptwriting.Sam Harrison, first-time programmer of the festival, said: "It's been really good."This is actually my first time programming the festival this year, and so I was very nervous beforehand""The main thing was I really wanted people to come away feeling like they had a really good time."Everyone's really enjoying it. The feedback's been really good and the speakers have been great."I feel very lucky that we've had such an amazing group of women writers come together."The festival opened with a sold-out talk by writer Sally Wainwright, who discussed her work including the BBC drama To Walk Invisible, which marked its 10th anniversary this year.He said: "Sally Wainwright was great, she was sold out and she's become just part of the Brontë legend."We're, again, so grateful that she was able to come and be part of the festival and celebrate 10 years of To Walk Invisible."It's a film that means so much to so many people still."The programme included a gothic fiction panel with Essie Fox, Heba Al-Wasity, and Stephanie Bramwell, a discussion on historical novels with Liz Flanagan and Anna Craig, and a poetry event inspired by Emily Brontë’s The Hawk.The festival also offered online events and workshops exploring themes of literature, history, and the environment.Mr Harrison said the organisation had partnered with the British Library on the newly produced Wuthering Heights facsimile.A workshop featuring Anna Chilvers and Clare Shaw also took place, inspired by their Book of Bogs project and aimed at educating people about the importance of peat.Mr Harrison added, "They are also curating our poetry at the Parsonage event, which is at the end of October as well, so that will be really exciting."He said, "It's so inspiring to hear these up and coming writers and just listening to their processes of creating."I think it's nice because you get so many people who are aspiring writers or creators."You hope that they can come and it will just give them a bit of a boost to keep going and keep pushing with their dreams."As the festival wrapped up, Mr Harrison said even the weather had played its part.She said: "The weather's also been good, which is very rare for Haworth." (Amelia Short)
Although the plot rightly discusses the iniquitous vulnerability and powerlessness of women in society at the time, as the sisters have to initially publish using male pseudonyms and discussion in literary circles that women could not have written works such as theirs, the power of the play lies in the family dynamics, and the characters that each actor portrays. Emily gives a rarely heard view, defending Branwell as being a victim of the expectations that are put on men.It is important to remember that Sarah Gordon’s excellent script is rather like those ITV true crime dramas, based on known facts but with some licence of what was said by whom, in other words, it’s all true apart from the bits that aren’t. The Criterion has put on a play which is both highly entertaining and thought-provoking and thoroughly deserves the enthusiastic applause. (Charles Essex)
Fennell, take note: you don’t have to completely revolutionise a period romance and stuff it full of sex and anachronisms to make it work for modern viewers. (Maddison Skipper)
Altuzarra didn’t treat the project as a scaled-down version of his namesake line. “I wanted to approach it in a very similar way that I do my own runway collections,” he says. As with many of his collections, that meant beginning with books as inspiration.At the time, Altuzarra had recently read Emily Brontë'sWuthering Heights and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and was “steeped in this world of romantic literature and romantic heroines and these windswept Scottish moors.” The novels became the collection’s central references, informing a wardrobe built around what he describes as a “sense of yearning, of desire, that kind of deep romance.” Or, as Posen puts it: “bringing your Jane Austen fantasies into today.” (Irina Grechko)
“Drawing inspiration from the Regency and early Victorian literary eras, the collection reflects the romance and mystery of classic Romantic and Gothic fiction,” according to a press release. Inspired by Wuthering Heights, these designs are meant to be worn passionately (and to frolic through wide fields in). (Victoria Montalti)
Treating it "like capital F fashion," Altuzarra reveals he approached the Old Navy partnership the same way as his eponymous ready-to-wear label. "I often start my own collections with a book as the inspiration," he tells me. "I had just read Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice. I really imagine this collection on a windswept Scottish moor." (Josephine Hadjiloucas)
Ci sono libri che attraversano il tempo senza perdere la capacità di parlare al presente. Storie nelle quali passioni, conflitti, desiderio di libertà e conseguenze delle proprie scelte continuano a interrogare generazioni di lettori. È il caso di "Cime tempestose", unico romanzo di Emily Brontë e uno dei grandi classici della letteratura inglese, al centro del nuovo appuntamento di Libri Liberi, la rassegna promossa dalla Fondazione De Sanctis che porta la letteratura all'interno degli istituti penitenziari italiani.Dopo la tappa milanese al Beccaria, Libri Liberi arriverà a Firenze il 30 settembre, al Carcere Minorile G.P. Meucci, per un incontro dedicato all'opera di Emily Brontë. A guidare i ragazzi attraverso le pagine del romanzo saranno la scrittrice Camilla Baresani e l'attrice Francesca Inaudi, chiamate a intrecciare lettura, racconto e confronto intorno a una storia che, a quasi due secoli dalla sua pubblicazione, conserva intatta la propria forza. (Translation)
Reader, I studied it. For Chinese schoolchildren, there will be no escape from now on from the romantic fantasies of early Victorian England.Ninth-year pupils across China have begun their last autumn term at middle school to discover that the classic Charlotte Brontë novel Jane Eyre has been added to their compulsory curriculum.It was already an option for literature in translation classes. The fact that it has become compulsory, it is being made clear, is out of concern for teenagers’ love lives.“The innocent, budding stage of first love is a crucial period for shaping a well-rounded personality,” Beijing Daily, the capital’s Communist Party-run paper, told students by way of explanation. “Rather than letting fragmented information occupy a child’s mind, it’s better to help them establish a value system by reading a timeless literary classic.”There is a logic to the choice by leading educationalists, who have been standardising the literature curriculum across provinces. Local authorities still have a degree of autonomy in what they teach, in separate maths and English language curriculums, but President Xi’s regime is deeply concerned about national morals, particularly among the young, and keeps a close eye on all cultural influences.Young Chinese people are going through two fads, both of them seen as problematic. One, as seen in many societies, is their reluctance to pair up, get married and have children. China’s birth-rate is unsustainably low, in part because of young women’s determination to stay single, pursue careers and eschew motherhood.The second fad is a passion, particularly among the same young women, for gothic romantasy novels, many of them gay-themed. Xi, despite the theoretically egalitarian and revolutionary underpinnings of Communism, is a strong promoter of traditional marriage and family values. (Richard Spencer)
by Sarah Hopper, Campbellsville University, 2026
by Matej Mlakar,Univerza V Ljubljani Filozofska Fakulteta Oddelek Za Anglistiko In Amerikanistiko, 2026This thesis is the first comprehensive look at the entire range of American and British radio adaptations of Wuthering Heights, the only novel written by Emily Brontë and originally published in 1847. The first chapter focuses on background information about the author and the novel, including the possible inspirations for the characters and locations presented in the story. This section also provides a brief summary of the novel and an overview of the existing adaptations across all media. The next chapter provides the theoretical framework for radio adaptations, including the history of the medium and the main characteristics of radio drama. The primary elements that constitute a radio drama are also considered, as well as classifications of these elements that have been proposed by authors such as Lance Sieveking, Andrew Crisell, and Dermot Rattigan. The following two chapters are dedicated to the analysis and comparison of all English-language radio adaptations of the novel. The thesis mainly discusses significant alterations to the plot and scenes, but it does not address minor changes that are inconsequential to the narrative as a whole. As several radio dramas closely follow the critically acclaimed 1939 motion picture instead, a brief description of the film has been included. Several adaptations whose recordings are unavailable are also included and briefly discussed using existing listings in newspapers, magazines and historical schedule data.
A new BBC adaptation of Jane Eyre is in the works, promising to be the most faithful yet.It is set to be a five-part series, written by playwright and screenwriter Miriam Battye, and produced by Working Title.Ms Battye shared insights into the project during a talk at the Brontë School Rooms on September 27.Ms Battye said: "It is going to be a limited series, but less limited than perhaps a film adaptation."Each episode will run for an hour, allowing more time to explore the novel’s characters and themes.Ms Battye said: "I give enough time to feel for every part of the book that you need to feel for and for the characters."Some of those are moments that I don't think have been adequately seen on screen."She described the BBC as "incredibly supportive, warm collaborators" and confirmed that she has written two of the five planned chapters so far.Ms Battye said: "The unique selling point of the upcoming drama was it was going to be one hundred percent faithful to the novel.""I want the adaptation to include a huge amount of Charlotte Brontë's dialogue."The writer revealed that she created the adaptation with actress Amy Lou Wood in mind.Ms Battye said: "There really wasn't another vision in my head."Amy is an actress of kind of quite staggering talent."Ms Battye reportedly approached her before anyone else was cast.She said: "I went to the BBC and I said, Amy is the pitch."Essentially, it is me and Amy."Ms Battye also addressed questions about whether there was any pressure to sexualise the adaptation, especially in light of Emerald Fennell’s recent version of Wuthering Heights.Answering, "No, there’s no pressure."I believe that sexuality is a part of the book."I've never felt pressured to make anything overt that isn't already there."The first episode will focus entirely on Jane’s childhood, which Ms Battye described as "almost a third of the book."She said: "The fist episode is going to be about a ten-year-old girl."It's actually not going to be about Amy Lou Wood's performance of it."She also intends to present a more nuanced view of Lowood School.Ms Battye said: "Occasionally in adaptations it's seen as just a place of privation and sort of horror."I’ll debate this, but I also think I'm so interested in the joy at Lowood School."The idea that it's the first place a young girl discovers the idea of a home."Ms Battye first read Jane Eyre at 15 [...] "There was a time when I was reading it every year so I’ve clocked in at least a good nine or ten readings." (Amelia Short)
Nearly two centuries after “Jane Eyre” first defied the conventions of Victorian England, China is requiring a new generation of teenagers to read her story.The British classic has long been popular in China and was already recommended reading for schoolchildren. But this fall, ninth-grade students across the country are being required to read the novel in full, according to Chinese state media. One report in an official newspaper held it up as an anti-materialistic love story that young people could learn from.The book, in which the young orphan Jane Eyre works as a governess in the household of the wealthy but elusive Mr. Rochester, is widely celebrated in China for its themes of independence and equality between women and men.A Chinese translation appeared as early as 1925, and there have since been numerous translations and adaptations for stage and screen. A British film adaptation was shown in Chinese theaters in 1979, just a few years after the end of the Cultural Revolution, as China was reopening to foreign culture.Ping Zhu, a literature professor at the University of California, San Diego, who researches Chinese feminism and literature, said the novel is compatible with the Chinese government’s vision of women’s equality — one that can coexist with traditional gender roles and the heterosexual nuclear family. Its inclusion in the ninth grade textbook comes as China struggles with population decline and the government encourages young people to marry and have children, she said.“‘Jane Eyre’ is about an independent woman, but she’s not too outrageous in her challenge of patriarchal power,” Ms. Zhu said. By the end of the novel, Jane has married Mr. Rochester and had a child. “All these things are what the Chinese government wants the younger generation to do,” Ms. Zhu said.Published in Britain in 1847, “Jane Eyre” was striking for its depiction of a poor young woman insisting on her independence, dignity and equality in a society in which women — particularly married women — had severely limited legal and economic autonomy.The novel has long been celebrated in China for its feminist themes, with state media often quoting Jane’s declaration to Mr. Rochester: “Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! I have as much soul as you — and full as much heart!” (Yan Zhuang and Li You) (Read more)
The first two-thirds of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights features a region and its people stripped of confidence. But by the end, the fluttering moths on the quiet moors serve as a beautiful allegory for regional reclamation, as City of Culture did for Bradford. The imagination, creativity and ability to shapeshift is still here: it created the opportunity for industry and now creates a new culture-led renaissance. [...]Brontë Parsonage Museum is an interesting example of cultural infrastructure development: a tiny house at the top of Haworth village, known across the world. The Brontë Society had a long-held ambition for a presence closer to the heart of Haworth. Buoyed by their growing confidence as partners of Bradford 2025, delivering capital projects such as Changing Places toilets, access ramps and a partnership with Pa Gya! literary festival in Ghana, they bought three buildings in late 2025. This provides a unique and much needed additional space for their archives, exhibitions and team members – a visionary example of ensuring investment is used to enable a substantial future impact for the village and organisation. [...]Emily Brontë uses the metaphor of physical foundations, comparing an unyielding, eternal love for Heathcliff to “the eternal rocks beneath”. The businesses, the cultural sector, the communities, the audiences – all have fed into and created this solid foundation. It’s essential to build on that and recognise the transformation that they bought into. Wuthering Heights is a blueprint for regional renaissance; even when a place looks empty, dark or aggressively stereotyped by the outside world, the real investment is the one the community makes in itself.
The garden takes its inspiration from the exposed landscapes of the Yorkshire uplands: dry-stone walls, moorland planting and the way plants and wildlife respond to sometimes unforgiving conditions. [...]Mr Roberts, founder of Patterned Earth, a garden and landscape design practice in Netherton, said: “I wanted to take a little piece of the landscape I know and love in Yorkshire to Belvoir."The moors, dry-stone walls and plants that somehow thrive in quite unforgiving conditions have always fascinated me.“Weathering Heights was a playful nod to Wuthering Heights, of course, but the ‘weathering’ was important too."The garden was really about how landscapes, plants and wildlife respond and adapt to the conditions around them.” (Steve Teale)
Catherine Earnshaw From Wuthering HeightsIf you want a costume that is actually pretty and makes you look like you stepped directly out of a dramatic period film, Catherine Earnshaw is calling your name. Think flowing dresses, romantic hair, moody makeup, and enough Victorian drama to make everyone wonder whether you’re about to run across a windswept field screaming someone’s name. It’s especially fun if your friend dresses as Heathcliff. Just remember: the more dramatic your photos are, the better. A normal smiling selfie simply will not do. (Danielle Okogho)
Este pasado cuando, como todos los años, visité con mis viajeras de las rutas literarias que organizo Haworth, la casa de las hermanas Brontë estaba llena. Coincidía que un festival de literatura femenina se celebraba a escasos metros, en las instalaciones en las que Charlotte Brontë hubiera deseado abrir una escuela. Por eso o por el día soleado, había visitantes que se detenían ante la mesa de la cocina, la cama en la que murió su hermano Branwell, sus recuerdos, como si los objetos conservaran todavía una parte de la energía de quienes los tocaron; algunas lectoras se conocían de memoria episodios de Jane Eyre o de Cumbres borrascosas, (como siempre, Anne es la gran ausente en esta casa) y personas que habían viajado hasta Yorkshire porque querían ver dónde había vivido aquellas mujeres, dónde habían subido aquellas escaleras custodiadas por un reloj de abuelo y dónde habían escrito allí algunos de los libros que formna parte del patrimonio sentimental de generaciones enteras.La posteridad puede ser muy generosa con las escritoras, aunque no sea más que para compensar con lo cruel de sus vidas. Lo sabemos todas, Charlotte, Emily y Anne Brontë publicaron primero como Currer, Ellis y Acton Bell, nombres ambiguos en un mundo que, si bien acababa por aceptarlas, si eran exitosas, desconfiaban de una mujer con ambición literaria. Dos siglos después, pagamos una entrada para visitar su casa, examinamos sus diminutos manuscritos, reconstruimos sus horarios y costumbres, admiramos su coraje, escogemos una preferida y convertimos en santuario aquello que, mientras ellas vivían, no eran sino cuatro paredes opresivas. (Translation)
Thursday 1 October 2026, 18:30 -20:00The Bookshop on the Square, 28 Market Pl, Otley LS21 3AQ, UKJoin us at The Bookshop On The Square with best-selling authors and academics Dr Michael Stewart and Dr Claire O'Callaghan as they discuss and dismantle the lives, writings and myths of the Brontë sisters. Expect intriguing discussions, new insights and a celebration of the passionate and bold writings and lives of these literary sisters.About the authorsDr Claire O’Callaghan’s Emily Brontë Reappraised (Saraband Books) brings new insight into how we read and remember one of literature’s most enigmatic writers. It has just been re-published in a new expanded form. Dr Michael Stewart is the multi-award-winning author of nine books, including, Walking the Invisible: Following in the Footsteps of the Brontës, and Ill Will: The Untold Story of Heathcliff. He is also the curator of the Brontë Stones and the director of the Brontë Writing Centre.
Whereas other classic period literary works have been re-adapted and changed to either fit modern settings at the time (Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You, Bridget Jones’s Diary) or have the filmmaker’s own vision cast over the source material causing fan uproar (most recently with this year’s Wuthering Heights), this very much is a traditional period drama in the vein of the aforementioned Austen adaptations I mentioned up top. (Jack Ransom)
Two other movie adaptions are for me the clear template for this film. Firstly, 1999’s The Winslow Boy, a Terence Rattigan play adapted and directed by David Mamet of all people, which on the surface is about a miscarriage of justice against a schoolboy, but is actually about how his older sister chooses which of her three suitors to marry. In the USA it was also rated G, which remains possibly the most surprising thing Mr. Mamet has done in his career. The other is 2011’s Wuthering Heights, Andrea Arnold’s unhappy adaption of the famously melodramatic novel by Emily Brontë. Largely filmed outdoors, with a great feeling for the weather, it has a rawness and sense of danger that remains palpable fifteen years later. It’s clear that Ms. Oakley decided, possibly because of these two films, to push her heroines onto rocks and hillsides to make it as easy for us to connect to their raw emotion, and that those emotions would be expressed in language to which even the littlest ears can listen. (Sarah Manvel)
On the 2026 VMAs red carpet, things took a darker turn. A Victorian gothic flavour hit the carpet, with Charli XCX, in a midriff-baring bandeau and skirt ensemble by Saint Laurent, leading the charge.Call it a hangover from Margot Robbie’s Wuthering Heights press tour looks, but outfits that took their cues from the neo-Victorian aesthetic peppered the carpet. Black and lace appeared in equal measure, as did sumptuous materials like velvet and a generally witchy vibe. (Noni Reginato)
A young woman embarks on an unexpected journey. Despite the excitement and possibilities of her future, there’s also fear. She boards a train that will take her to a new home atop a stormy cliff at the edge of the sea, a place defined by the fog and its history. She’s a governess, and she’ll be responsible for teaching and caring for a wealthy boy.This premise might sound like it’s from a classic Gothic story like Jane Eyre or The Turn of the Screw. But it’s actually from 1991’s Dark Shadows: The Revival, an NBC series that distilled the long-running original Dark Shadows soap opera into a 12-episode melodrama. It’s the best way to enter the world created by horror icon Dan Curtis, and it’s streaming in full on YouTube. (Maria Loreto)
Festival ActoralFrac Sud – Cité de l’art contemporain, Marseille29 sept. - 18h00Romance hantée par ses propres personnages, Hurlevent carcasse est un récit choral, qui amplifie le livre d’Emily Brontë pour faire retentir sa puissante modernité.Ouvrage majeur de la littérature du XIXe siècle, écrit sous pseudonyme masculin, Les Hauts de Hurvelent s’est imposé comme texte canonique sur la passion amoureuse, la vengeance et la folie, un roman furieux et cruel. Claudine Galea plonge dans cette matière, entrelace des voix dans un corps-à-corps effréné et aiguise à l’os le récit d’amour fusionnel et de haine fatale. Explorant toutes les formes de domination à l’œuvre, elle révèle le fondement colonial de cette histoire de passion, de mépris de classe et de haine de soi, au sein d’une société victorienne en pleine expansion capitaliste.Hurlevent carcasse a paru en février 2026 aux Éditions de L’Arche.
‘Jane Eyre’“How about some Charlotte Brontë?” It’s no secret that Rory is a big fan of Charlotte Brontë, as showcased in several episodes of the series, and one of her preferred books is Jane Eyre. Rory frequently mentions the author and the 1847 novel is the perfect comforting read for fall. The author is discussed in a Season 1 episode when Dean asks how he can repay her for bringing him cookies and she responds by asking him to read Brontë. While she doesn’t specifically mention Jane Eyre, it is later seen in the spinoff series, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life and it should be on your fall TBR (to be read list). (Julianne MacNeill)
Jane Eyre // Charlotte BrontëCharlotte Brontë’s classic tale of romance, long-buried secrets, and one headstrong woman’s coming-of-age odyssey is steeped in both Gothic atmosphere and biting social commentary. It tells the story of a headstrong young woman’s journey from an orphanage to a governess post at Thornfield Hall, the domain of the mysterious Mr. Rochester. While the book has a reputation as a romance, in truth it is more of a dark look at the social expectations and struggles that characterized Victorian England. With its sprawling country houses, rainy weather, hidden rooms, and themes of growth, decay, and transformation, it’s a classic autumn read for a reason. (Eden Gordon)
Cumbres Borrascosas by Emily BrontëLos protagonistas están unidos por un amor intenso y complicado que queda marcado por los celos, el orgullo, las diferencias sociales y el resentimiento, y cuando Catherine decide casarse con otro hombre, Heathcliff se marcha y, años después, regresa dispuesto a vengarse. 'Cumbres borrascosas' es un perfecto libro para leer este otoño. (Melissa González) (Translation)
Seed Cake, Jane EyreIn Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, a small seed cake and tea become a memorable moment of comfort for Jane during her difficult years at Lowood. The modest treat stands in contrast to the hunger and poor food associated with the school, making the simple act of sharing food especially meaningful. (Aanya Mehta)
Most of us have already (thankfully) forgotten about the BDSM atrocity that besieged us in February in the form of “Wuthering Heights,” and while Nolan’s “Odyssey” was a decent standalone film, it did little justice (at least in my view) to Homer’s original creation. (Liza Libes)
“Una historia de amor y venganza”, se anunció a finales de septiembre de 2024. Cumbres borrascosas es un clásico de la literatura, una de las obras maestras de Emily Brontë. Y eso puede ser bueno o no tanto, pues todos los ojos estarán puestos sobre una historia de sobra conocida por todos. ¿Y sobre qué trata esto? A saber: la tempestuosa Catherine Earnshaw y el vengativo Heathcliff viven un romance apasionado mientras conviven en un lugar conocido como el título de todo esto, Cumbres borrascosas. Y, bueno, en el libro ese amor nunca pasaba de una mera obsesión. Y hay a quien no le ha gustado nada esta película, pero otros la consideran una obra maestra. (Alberto Sisí Sánchez) (Translation)
Avec Emerald Fennell, rien n’est sage ni subtil. Costumes majestueux, décors fantasmagoriques, brume, crachin et tempêtes sur la lande anglaise : le film impose une esthétique grandiloquente, parfois à la limite du grotesque. La réalisatrice insuffle à l’ensemble un ton très pop, étonnamment drôle par moments. Sensuel, excessif, filmé avec un point de vue féminin assumé, Hurlevent divisera forcément. Cette relecture courageuse et moderne conserve pourtant toute la violence du roman. Emily Brontë aurait adoré ! (Hélène Lisle) (Translation)
Elle (France) lists several alternative Wuthering Heights adaptations.
Verbotene Liebe, Ausgrenzung, Rassismus – Emily Brontës Weltklassiker „Sturmhöhe“ steckt voller Themen von hoher Aktualität. Eindrucksvoll zeigt das Franz-Joseph Diekens Inszenierung am Altonaer Theater.Im Zentrum steht die obsessive Liebe zwischen Catherine (Linda Stockfleth) und Heathcliff (Celio-Silvestre Tamele) – eine toxische Beziehung, zerstörerisch wie eine Naturgewalt. Obwohl Linda Stockfleth ihre unberechenbare Catherine allzu schrill und einförmig hysterisch anlegt, überzeugt das Zusammenspiel des Ensembles. (Brigitte Scholz) (Translation)
For the final episode of series 4, Sam and Mia are joined by historian, author and content creator Dr Rebecca Marks! Rebecca holds a Master's in Art History and a PhD in English Romantic Literature. She’s currently writing a book on Gothic art and literature with Penguin, which will be released at the end of 2027.What came before Thornfield Hall and Wuthering Heights? We hope you're in the mood for ghosts and goblins as we dive into what makes a Gothic novel, writers who may have inspired the Brontës and why Patrick had the equivilent of movie posters on his wall...
by Emily BrontëBritish Library PublishingISBN: 9780712369015September 17, 2026Wuthering Heights First Edition Facsimile (1847) in a two-volume edition, with Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell (1846)Step into the wild, windswept world of the Yorkshire moors with this exquisite first edition facsimile of Wuthering Heights, faithfully reproduced from the British Library’s original 1847 copy of Emily Brontë’s enduring masterpiece.Published under the pseudonym Ellis Bell, Wuthering Heights is one of the most powerful and unconventional novels in English literature — a haunting tale of passion, obsession and revenge that has captivated readers for nearly two centuries. This sumptuous facsimile captures the novel as it was first presented to Victorian readers, preserving the typography, layout and character of the historic two-volume edition.Housed in a luxurious foiled cloth-bound clamshell presentation box, this collector’s set brings together:
- A two-volume first edition facsimile of Wuthering Heights (1847), with covers typical of the era
- A first edition facsimile of Emily Brontë’s own copy of Poems (1846), the ground-breaking poetry collection she published alongside her sisters Charlotte and Anne, prior to the success of Wuthering Heights, reproduced with handwritten notes and signed and dated by her on the title page. Emily’s copy was rebound by a later owner and bears the date of 1864 on the spine. As this edition is intended to be a faithful facsimile, we have reproduced the book exactly as it survives today, including this historical peculiarity.
- Facsimile looseleaf pages from Emily’s two manuscript poetry notebooks (also held in the Library collections) that show earlier versions of a couple of poems that appear in Poems.
- The set is completed with an introductory booklet by two lead curators at the British Library.
Brontë fans will now be able to own facsimile first editions of the two creative works Emily published during her short life – in effect her complete works – presented together in a gorgeous box with gold foil details. Each element has been created directly from the originals held in the British Library’s collections, ensuring exceptional fidelity to the source material.An essential acquisition for Brontë enthusiasts, collectors of classic literature, scholars, and lovers of fine bookmaking, this facsimile set is as striking on the shelf as it is moving to read.
Nestled within the Yorkshire countryside, Haworth was the former residence of the Brontë sisters: Charlotte, Emily and Anne, whose surrounding moorlands provided inspiration for Emily's novel Wuthering Heights. Their ancestral home has been converted into a museum, cementing Haworth's status as an essential stop for enthusiasts of English literature. (Christopher Megrath)
4. HathersageHathersage has strong literary connections - having inspired Charlotte Brontë while she was writing Jane Eyre. The nearby North Lees Hall (pictured here) also became the main inspiration for Thornfield Hall. (Tom Hardwick)
Where did this book even come from? “The novel started out as my thesis during my MFA at Cornell,” the author explains. “I had this idea of a girl and her brother, this sibling relationship, which is at the heart of the novel. The dynamics of this family and the relationship between the siblings, and the roots of all of that, was also something I was interested in very early on. I read Jane Eyre for the first time in graduate school (late, I know!) and soon after that I read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, and I was mind-blown. The Gothic as a vehicle for the story of this family started to appeal to me early on, this picture of a house that’s no longer able to hold its secrets, and the novel grew from there.“Jane Eyre and Rebecca both play with things that are revealed and the things that are kept hidden, both from the characters and from the reader. I was also very fascinated by black Gothic, with books like Toni Morrison’s Beloved and Octavia Butler’s Kindred, and a lot of Buchi Emecheta’s work, like Second Class Citizen, which plays with the idea of not just physical confinement but psychological confinement within systems. Add to that the burden of innocence on a character when human beings and circumstances conspire to paint you guilty or deprive you of a voice.” (Neil Nyren)
Swift subverts the classic "scorned woman" trope by recounting these wrongs, not with vengeful rage, but with calm, chilling clarity. "When the fever turns a dreamer into a pathetic ghost / If he's killing you, I see you, I was patient zero," she sings in the song's final lines.She's like Bertha Mason in the attic, warning Jane Eyre of Mr. Rochester's evil, or Rebecca, hovering like a wraith over her murderous husband's estate; she's the woman who haunts the narrative long after she's gone. (Callie Ahlgrim)
A Mercury Theatre Colchester, Rose Theatre & Storyhouse co-production, in association with Northern Stage and supported by a grant from The Royal Theatrical Support TrustJane EyreAdapted by Sally Cookson, Mike Akers and the original Company.Directed by Lily DibleWith Oscar Adams, Gabriel AkuwudikeMercury Theatre, Colchester26 September to 10 OctoberRose Theatre, Kigston upon Thames13 October to 20 OctoberNorthern Stage, Newcastle3 to 7 NovemberStoryhouse, Chester10 to 21 November“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me.”One woman’s fight for a life that is worthy of her courage, and a love that is worthy of her heart.Orphaned as a young girl, the passionate and sensitive Jane longs to escape the clutches of her cruel aunt.Freedom beckons when she is offered the job of a governess in the house of the brooding and secretive Mr Rochester.As intrigue turns to attraction, Jane finds herself drawn in by Rochester’s mercurial charm. But when the truth finally comes out, she will be forced to choose between the man she wants, and the woman she wants to be.Nearly two centuries on, Charlotte Brontë’s groundbreaking story is as thrilling and relevant as ever in this bold production directed by 2025 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award-winner Lily Dyble, based on Sally Cookson, Mike Akers and the original company’s trailblazing adaptation.
26 September - 21 NovemberRugby Art Gallery and Museum, Little Elborow Street, Rugby, CV21 3BZExplore the extraordinary imagination of one of the great artists, printmakers and storytellers of our time. Paula Rego: Visions of English Literature will present three of the artist’s most ambitious series of graphic works; Jane Eyre, Nursery Rhymes and Peter Pan. Each series will be accompanied by a variety of personal items from the artist, many of which have never been publicly displayed before. Unseen preparatory sketches, etching plates and Rego’s very own childhood copy of Peter Pan will offer audiences an intimate portrayal of the artist’s lifelong fascination with literature and an insight into how the artist transformed this material into startlingly original, rebellious and unexpected images.
Keighley Library, West Yorks, BD213SXSaturday 26th September 2026, 11pm, 12.30pm, 2.00pmJoin Charlotte Brontë on a phonic field trip over the Yorkshire Moors and listen in to the sounds that shaped the Brontë sisters’ lives. The howling winds at Top Withens, tranquil trickling of nearby waterfalls and the angelic tones of… Beyoncé will accompany you on your journey. Senseless Trash from beginning to end - don’t say I didn’t warn you.Oh, and keep your wits about you, for there are beasts on those moors…'Charlotte Brontë: Senseless Trash' is a 30 minute theatre show using silent disco headphones. This show explores the modern day struggles of identity and motherhood through the lens of Charlotte Brontë’s inspiring life and work. This show is performed for the very first time within a library after touring at venues and festivals around the country.
Further information in The Telegraph & Argus.
The Old School Room in Haworth, whose original section was constructed in 1832 by the Rev. Patrick Brontë, has had five windows on its north-facing wall replaced as part of essential restoration work.Averil Kenyon, chairman of The Brontë Spirit, the charity that maintains the building, said: "The south wall windows were replaced back in 2012, and it has taken us 14 years to raise sufficient funds to undertake the restoration of the north-facing windows."We’re delighted with the result because the new windows have been designed to match the style of the windows that were originally part of the building."The project cost £24,000 and was supported by grants from the Bernard Sunley Foundation and The Pilgrim Trust. (Harry Williams)
A powerful new stage adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's classic Jane Eyre arrives at Storyhouse this autumn.Directed by Lily Dyble, Jane Eyre will run at the Chester venue from Tuesday 10 November to Saturday 21 November. [...]"Charlotte Brontë's revolutionary masterpiece Jane Eyre remains as potent today as it did when it was written in 1847, said Storyhouse creative director Suzie Henderson."This dynamic and imaginative new stage adaptation promises to present it in visceral and powerful fashion."I'm delighted to be able to reveal such an exciting cast of talented actors who are working with Lily Dyble in the rehearsal room to bring her thrilling storytelling vision to life for our audiences here at Chester."The role of Jane will be played by Olivia Marcus, while Gabriel Akuwudike will appear as Edward Rochester. The cast also includes Oscar Adams, Aamira Challenger, Millie Faraway, Andrea Gatchalian, Kate Kordel, Robyn Rose-Li and Leo Wan.Jane Eyre is a Storyhouse, Mercury Theatre Colchester, and Rose Theatre co-production, in association with Northern Stage, supported by a grant from the Royal Theatrical Support Trust (RTST).The production is based on Sally Cookson, Mike Akers and the original company's acclaimed adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's groundbreaking novel.Set designer is Anna Yates, costume designer is Khadija Raza, lighting design is by Lucia Sanches Roldan, and Joseff Harris is sound designer and composer. Movement director is Natasha Harrison, Fight director is Rachid Sabitri and intimacy director is Haruka Kuroda. Casting is by Helena Palmer. (Dherran Titherington)
The 135-minute show is punctuated by eight musical numbers and, though it is now almost obligatory for classic literature to be sung and danced (the most recent victim Jane Eyre), this is a logical candidate. (Mark Lawson)
Things are moody and at times almost Brontë-esque thanks to Arnaud Potier’s autumnal cinematography and the rolling, rain-lashed hills. (Hannah Pettit)
Aïllada al poble diminut de les muntanyes pirinenques on ella i en Sebastià van anar a raure, en bona part perquè era el lloc on vivia un amic comú —que a l’inici de la novel·la es converteix en la nova parella de la protagonista—, la Jara sembla una reencarnació del Heathcliff de Cims borrascosos (una de les citacions que encapçalen la novel·la és d’Emily Brontë), com si perseguint-lo i invocant-lo en tot moment tingués també la prerrogativa de fer-lo present: inquieta i nerviosa, el busca pels paisatges que recorrien o al riu on es banyaven, acariciant els guants de llana que li havia regalat, o en les tres ratlles horitzontals —“una de ben recta que separa el cel gris clar del mar gris fosc, i una de desdibuixada que separa el mar gris fosc del prat mig gris”— de la fotografia que hi ha penjada al menjador. (Ponç Puigdevall) (Translation)
Fri 25 Sept, 6:00pmOld School RoomCelebrate the opening of the Brontë Women’s Writing Festival 2026 with us! The festival will begin with a special reading from poet Emma Conally-Barklem, before we welcome to the stage screenwriter and director Sally Wainwright.2026 marks 10 years since the release of Sally Wainwright’s Brontë biopic, To Walk Invisible. The BBC film marked Sally's first venture into historical drama, beginning in 1845 with the sisters' journey to publication, to Branwell Brontë's death in 1848. Her screenplay is infused with quotes taken directly from letters or diary entries by the Brontës, which gave authenticity to the dialogue.Since then, she has seen success with dramas such as Gentleman Jack, Riot Women, Renegade Nell and the concluding chapter of Happy Valley. This evening we will look back at her career highlights and, of course, delve into the making of ‘To Walk Invisible’
Sat 26 Sept, 10:30amOld School RoomDo you have a taste for eerie moorland mansions and dark, mysterious secrets?If so, then this delightfully gothic panel with authors Essie Fox, Heba Al-Wasity and Stephanie Bramwell Lawes will help you discover more about creating the perfect gothic novel...“Now, eighteen years later, Catherine rises from her grave to tell her story – and seek redemption.” Essie Fox is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her latest novel, Catherine: A retelling of Wuthering Heights, reimagines Emily Brontë's fictional world and tells the famous story from Catherine Earnshaw's point of view. Essie was born and raised in Herefordshire. After studying English Literature at Sheffield University, she moved to London and began a career in magazine and book publishing – before becoming self-employed in commercial art design. Always an avid reader, she now writes historical novels. She also hosts a podcast called Talking the Gothic.“All paths lead to Weavingshaw, a cursed estate on the moors.” Heba Al-Wasity’s debut novel Weavingshaw is a Sunday Times bestseller. This gothic fantasy novel envelops its reader into an atmospheric world, with ghostly encounters and a dark mystery to unfold. Heba Al-Wasity was inspired to write by her own experiences of being born an Iraqi refugee in Libya, growing up in Canada, and attending medical school in the UK. Working as a junior doctor in emergency care and several psychiatric inpatient units, Heba gained first-hand insight into how poverty and deprivation can lead to social inequalities. She is based in Greater Manchester.“There – suddenly – was Thornby Manor. I would never forget the first time I saw it…a talisman of Darkness. An emblem of death.” Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes' debut novel Thornby Manor was inspired by her love of the Brontës and Daphne Du Maurier literary works. Stephanie lures the reader into the great house that “looms above a mist-shrouded lake, its corridors heavy with secrets.” Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes grew up in the historic city of Bath and studied History and Ancient History at Exeter University. A lifelong love of literature led to a career in publishing in 2009, and her passion for books has only continued to grow ever since. Her favourite novels include Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Rebecca, and anything by Tracy Chevalier. She currently lives in Warwickshire.
Sat 26 Sept, 12:30pmOld School RoomJoin us as we welcome author Dr Sharon Blackie to the festival stage for a discussion about her work and her latest book Ripening.Dr. Sharon Blackie is an award-winning and internationally bestselling author, speaker and teacher. As a psychologist and mythologist, the transformative power of story has been at the heart of her work for decades, and she is a recognised pioneer in reclaiming women’s stories. As well as writing seven books of fiction and nonfiction, including the bestselling If Women Rose Rooted and Hagitude, her work has frequently appeared on the BBC and in international media outlets. Sharon is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an Honorary Member of the UK Association of Jungian Analysts, and has taught and lectured at many academic institutions and cultural festivals around the world. Her much-loved publication The Art of Enchantment is a global Substack Bestseller.
Sat 26 Sept, 2:30pmOld School RoomWe will be travelling back in time with authors Liz Flanagan and Anna Caig, as they shed light on how they recreated worlds from the past in their latest novels...Liz Flanagan is an award-winning author from Hebden Bridge. When We Were Divided is her first historical novel for adults. Although her previous books are for children, all her novels combine vivid landscapes and emotional depth with fast-paced, gripping stories. She teaches Creative Writing in many different settings, has worked as a book editor and as Centre Director for Arvon, at Ted Hughes’s former home, Lumb Bank.Anna Caig is obsessed with the hidden voices of women and a compelling underdog story. Luckily, history offers plenty of these. She’s inspired by the glimpses into a woman’s life we get before the historical record moves onto something considered much more important. What was happening in these gaps? Anna grew up one of three sisters in the wilds of West Yorkshire, scribbling novels into notebooks - and Wuthering Heights is her favourite book. She now lives in the ‘howling wilderness’ of the Peak District. Her debut novel, The Wise Witch of Orkney, was inspired by her love of the northern isles of Scotland, folklore, and passion for depicting women in their midlife and beyond, continuing to live rich, adventurous lives.
Sat 26 Sept, 4:00pmOld School RoomFollowing the success of the Wandering Imaginations project in 2025, we're continuing our literary partnership with Bradford Culture Company and Writers Project of Ghana. Literary Sisters: Accra to Bradford features writers Barsa Ray and Tabitha Bast from Bradford, and Emma Ofosua and Priscilla Adipa from Accra, as they share new work developed as part of this international writers exchange.The project is supported by the British Council and features a companion event at Pa Gya! Festival in Accra, Ghana, in October.
Sat 26 Sept, 5:30pmOld School RoomWe're closing a wonderful day of events with an evening of poetry by Emma Conally-Barklem. Emma’s latest collection, The High Flight: 50 Poems Inspired by Emily Brontë's Hawk, was released earlier this year and had its book launch at the Brontë Parsonage Museum. This collection takes its creative inspiration from one of the few details known about Emily Brontë. It is believed she rescued then kept a Merlin hawk who she called Nero. Conally-Barklem explores what it means to be captive and to be wild, the condition of the falconer, its lore and mystery through the enigmatic Brontë sister who stands both inside and outside of time.Emma is an author, poet and yoga teacher based in Yorkshire. She is the author of four collections. Her first collection The Ridings was curated into an exhibition in her hometown, Bradford. Hymns from the Sisters was written after a residency at the Brontë Parsonage Museum. She was a core poet for the BBC’s Contains Strong Language Poetry Festival Bradford 2025 and was a guest of Radio 4’s Front Row, where she talked about the Brontës.
Sun 27 Sept, 10:30amOld School RoomWe are delighted to welcome screenwriter and playwright Miriam Battye to the Brontë Women's Writing Festival! Miriam is currently working on a new adaptation of Jane Eyre with Working Title, starring Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education, The White Lotus). She was the first writer-in-residence at Sister Pictures and is the recipient of the 2020 Harold Pinter Commission.Miriam Battye's plays include Strategic Love Play, Scenes with Girls, and The Virgins (starring Ella Bruccoleri), which was released in early 2026. Her plays have been published by Faber. Miriam's screenwriting credits include Dead Ringers, Woman in the Wall and Succession, which earned her a WGA award. Her feature film debut, Extra Geography, is out this year.
Sun 27 Sept, 12:30pmOld School RoomIn Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre, Mr Rochester marries the daughter of a West India planter and merchant in Spanish Town, Jamaica, for a large sum of £30,000...To coincide with our 2026 exhibition The Colonial Brontës, we're hosting an insightful conversation with historian Miranda Kaufmann. Her latest book, Heiresses: Marriage, Inheritance and Caribbean Slavery (2025), follows the lives of nine heiresses, tracing their tainted money from its origins in the sugar plantations of the Caribbean. Kaufmann reveals a murky world of inheritance, fortune-hunting and human exploitation.Dr. Miranda Kaufmann is the author of the Wolfson History Prize and Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize-shortlisted book Black Tudors: The Untold Story (2017). She read History at Christ Church, Oxford and is now an Honorary Fellow of the University of Liverpool, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and of the Royal Society of Arts, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London, where she co-convened the What's Happening in Black British History? workshop series from 2014 to 2022. Miranda also served as Lead Historian for the Colonial Countryside project with National Trust houses from 2019 to 2021; and has taken her work into schools with her Teaching Black Tudors project and to the world with her Black Tudors: The Untold Story course with FutureLearn.
Sun 27 Sept, 2:00pmOld School RoomFind out how authors Wendy Pratt and Nic Wilson have approached memoir writing, and how nature and landscape helped them navigate challenging times through their lives.Wendy Pratt is an author, poet and editor. She writes about nature as refuge, and how belonging to landscape gives you a place to connect to your ancestors, even if those ancestors are only joined to you through the land you walk on. The Ghost Lake was published by The Borough Press in 2024. Her latest collection of poetry, Blackbird Singing at Dusk was released in 2024, previous collection, When I Think of My Body as a Horse, won the Poetry Business International Book and Pamphlet Competition 2020.Nic is a writer, editor, Guardian country diarist and author of the nature memoir Land Beneath the Waves, one of BBC Wildlife Magazine's Best Nature Books of 2025. She works for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, specialising in wildlife, wild plants and environmental issues. Nic has nearly 30 years’ writing experience spanning academia, education, journalism and narrative non-fiction.
Sun 27 Sept, 3:30pmBrontë Event Space in the Old School RoomThe Brontës were renowned for their powerful portrayal of moorland, which for centuries had been dismissed as bleak, empty places. Yet, with their blanket bogs, folklore, and habitats, they are some of our most fascinating and vital landscapes.In this friendly 120-minute writing workshop led by authors Clare Shaw (Bloodaxe) and Anna Chilvers (Bluemoose), we’ll read classic and contemporary literature about moors and the unique plants and creatures who live on them - and we’ll write our own stories and poetry in response. Finally, we’ll acknowledge some of the threats facing moors - and together we’ll explore how we can protect them. From experts to first-time writers, everyone is welcome!Anna Chilvers (Bluemoose) and Clare Shaw (Bloodaxe) are popular writers and facilitators who have authored and edited 14 books between them - including novels, poetry and creative non-fiction. In 2025, they co-edited The Book of Bogs (Little Toller) featuring over 40 leading writers of ecology, nature and place. Anna and Clare facilitate Bogwise: a series of bog-themed writing workshops, residentials and reading events. They are also the co-authors of b(l)og, the popular bog-themed substack!
Mon 28 Sept, 7:00pmOnline via zoomThis September, the British Library is releasing a very special edition of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights.The Wuthering Heights presentation box contains facsimile volumes of the first edition of the novel and Emily’s personal copy of Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell, together with copies of pages from her two manuscript poetry notebooks. Each element has been created directly from the originals held in the British Library’s collections, ensuring exceptional fidelity to the source material. The covers are carefully modelled on bindings from the period, evoking the look and feel of these mid-nineteenth-century literary treasures.We will be joined by Alison Moss from the publishing team, and curators Maddy Smith and Catherine Angerson at the British Library to discuss the process and development of their upcoming publication.
Tue 29 Sept, 7:30pmOnline via zoom'Something is happening at Westerley. Things where they shouldn't be. The shadow of a maid sweeping in the dawn light. But is the house really haunted?'Tune in for a special Festival online event with author Lauren Mooney. Lauren’s debut novel Service was inspired by her six years working as a personal assistant. The novel follows Danielle. She's broke, hates her job as PA to the blithely privileged Jeannie, and now a break-up has left her with nowhere to live. It comes as a surprise when Jeannie suggests that Danielle stay at Westerley, the sprawling Yorkshire estate where she grew up. They need someone to look after the place anyway.Lauren Mooney is a writer from the East Midlands. She works in theatre and audio drama, and has co-run Kandinsky Theatre Company since 2015, making award-winning shows across the UK and Europe. She is a graduate of UEA's Creative Writing Prose MA, where she held the David Higham Scholarship. She lives in East Sussex with her husband Stewart and their tortoise, Sacher Tort.
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